Four astronauts set a US speed record by reaching the International Space Station after an eight-hour journey following a launch delay due to fuel system issues. Commander Jessica Watkins and her crew, including new space travelers Luke Delaney, Joshua Kutryk, and Sergey Teteryatnikov, arrived at the station on October 2, 2026, from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. Among other notable aspects of the mission, Canadian astronaut Joshua Kutryk will become a father while in orbit, with his wife expecting their third child late in November.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-10-02,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
Joshua Kutryk, a Canadian astronaut and former Royal Canadian Air Force colonel, launched into space from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida on Thursday, October 5th, at 11:10 AM ET. Kutryk is part of the SpaceX Crew-13 mission to the International Space Station (ISS) alongside NASA astronauts Jessica Watkins and Luke Delaney, as well as Russian cosmonaut Sergey Teteryatnikov. The launch was delayed due to a fuel system leak but ultimately proceeded successfully despite inclement weather conditions. Kutryk's former Grade 6 teacher Ted Hupé, now retired, watched the launch live from Canada. During their six-month mission aboard the ISS, the astronauts will conduct various scientific experiments focusing on human health and performance in space. Notably, Kutryk’s wife is expecting to give birth while he is away on his long-duration mission, marking him as the fourth Canadian astronaut to undertake such a prolonged stay at the ISS since 2004 when NASA established a radio link between astronauts and their families for significant life events. SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket successfully carried the crew into orbit, with the reusable booster returning safely to Earth after separation. The Crew Dragon capsule docked with the ISS around 7 PM ET on Thursday, completing an approximately eight-hour journey from launch to docking.
Written for “SpaceX Launch To ISS” on 2026-10-05,
grounded in this article and the 19 other(s) covering the same event.
Astronauts set US speed record during trip to International Space Station
By
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Astronauts → set → Station
Four astronauts pulled up at the International Space Station on Thursday after launching on an eight-hour express that set a US speed record.
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that → pull → record
The fresh arrivals include a Canadian whose wife will give birth while he’s away.
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he → include → birth
SpaceX launched commander Jessica Watkins and her crew for NASA after a three-week delay to fix their Dragon capsule’s leaking fuel system.
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SpaceX → launch → system
Thick clouds threatened all morning to halt the countdown but in the end, the skies cleared enough to allow for a safe liftoff.
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skies → threaten → liftoff
Although their stay at the International Space Station will last a long six months, the flight there was the quickest yet not only for Elon Musk’s company, but any American entity, including NASA.
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flight → last → NASA
The space station’s convenient location when the astronauts launched enabled the fast transit.
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astronauts → launch → transit
With the late morning liftoff from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Watkins became the first black woman to lead a crew to orbit.
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Watkins → become → orbit
A geologist who worked with NASA’s Mars rover Curiosity a decade ago, Watkins is making her second trip to the space station following a lengthy stay in 2022.
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Watkins → work → 2022
“Thanks for an amazing ride,” Watkins radioed following liftoff.
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Watkins → radio → liftoff
They will replace four astronauts who have been living at the orbiting laboratory since February.
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who → replace → February
This was the 13th crew launched by SpaceX for NASA, not counting 2020’s test flight.
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All four embrace their Crew-13 designation that pays homage in their mission patch to Apollo 13.
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that → embrace → Apollo
References to the number 13 abounded Thursday.
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Watkins and her crew rode to the launch pad in black Teslas bearing plates that read “Lucky 13.”
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that → ride → Lucky
What’s more, they carried up a small crocheted golden dragon named Lucky with a four-leaf clover around its neck.
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they → ’ → neck
“We figured it wouldn’t hurt to bring a little of our own luck just in case, but clearly we don’t need it,” Watkins said from orbit, noting they were “four of the luckiest humans on or off planet Earth.”
Kutryk will become the fourth man to become a father while orbiting Earth.
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Kutryk → figure → Earth
Wife Heather is due to give birth to their third child in late November.
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Heather → give → November
The Canadian Space Agency promises plenty of support for the entire family when the big day comes.
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day → promise → family
“A lot of life-changing things can happen over six months,” NASA manager Dana Weigel said on the eve of liftoff, noting that the space agency will do its best to keep Kutryk looped in to his family.
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agency → change → family
In 2004, NASA provided a radio link between space station astronaut Mike Fincke and his wife’s delivery room during the birth of their daughter.
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NASA → provide → daughter
Five years later, Randy Bresnik, commander of next year’s Atemis III mission, dialed in to his wife’s hospital from orbit.
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Bresnik → dial → orbit
The happy news traveled more slowly for Austrian astronaut Franz Viehbock.
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news → travel → Viehbock
His daughter was born a few hours after he launched to the Soviet Union’s Mir space station in 1991.
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he → bear → 1991
He was not informed until the next day.
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He → inform → day
Three hours after Crew-13 blasted off, SpaceX launched a Falcon rocket from California with more than 100 mini satellites.
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SpaceX → blast → satellites
Another Falcon was set to soar late Thursday night from Florida, with a classified satellite for the National Reconnaissance Office.
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Falcon → set → Office
All this comes the same week that the company’s massive Starship reached orbit for the first time.
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Starship → come → time
The Aporia
